


sketchy

by loudanimal



Series: in pursuit of knowledge [2]
Category: Maleficent (Disney Movies)
Genre: it's a rabid and unstoppable kinda night, one day i'll write more with udo and that is a threat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 18:07:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21165881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loudanimal/pseuds/loudanimal
Summary: Udo's fairly sure that he's notsupposedto know that he's being drawn, but Borra — ever lacking in subtlety that he is — couldn't be more obvious if he tried.





	sketchy

**Author's Note:**

> local cool kid Muse/CharmingMuse mentioned this and i have no impulse control and rlly wanted to write udo so take it. Have It. Witness It. 
> 
> this is set in the like. behind the scenes of In Pursuit of Knowledge

Udo's fairly sure that he's not _supposed_ to know that he's being drawn, but Borra — ever lacking in subtlety that he is — couldn't be more obvious if he tried.

The former war-monger has himself seated against a wall woven from thin, pliant stretches of woody vines and tough grass, right where the day's last drops of sunlight can pool onto the paper of a journal that Udo's never seen him with before. Borra's fallen into a predictable rhythm of eyeing his tundra brethren hard while Udo instructs one of the many young fey that he cares for here, talking her through the process of flight. Tomorrow is her first takeoff, and although every dark fey ends up relying more on their own innate capacity for flight to rise from their very first plummet, it never hurts to talk a worried child through their anxiety. Udo's done it time and time again, knowing that their instincts will hold true when it really counts, but hating to turn away a nervous youngster.

"You'll feel it," he tells her, all too aware of Borra's sharp copper stare, "how the wind bends under them. It'll make sense once you're there, the way that every motion comes together. Has your sister told you about her first takeoff? She was just as nervous as you are, if memory serves. You'll be fine just like she was." Udo runs a comforting hand through the child's hair, turning his head quickly to try and catch Borra by surprise. He does—and Borra looks away quickly, seemingly taking a sudden interest in anything around that _isn't_ Udo. 

"Do you _promise?_" The child pipes up, staring at Udo as sternly as she can manage. It cracks him up to see her looking so serious, and his fanged grin pulls a similar smile from the anxious child.

"_Yes,_ I promise. I promise a thousand times over." Udo can feel a telltale prickle in his snowy wings that he's being watched again. Whatever Borra's up to, he is certainly determined. 

"A thousand and one?" Good skies above, she's really holding him to this. Udo sighs, loud and playful, and he makes a good show of looking _very_ thoughtful.

"Okay. You win. I promise a thousand _and one_ times over. Now go on, get some rest." Udo gave her a final pat on the head and she obediently scrambled off, fledgling wings ruffled with excitement. 

Udo leans back in his spot and closes his eyes, basking quietly and graciously allowing Borra a moment of his stillness. He's never known the other man to be much of an artist, something which only adds to the mystery of this moment. With that said, if the warrior's found himself a new hobby, it should count as a miracle and a half that it's something that doesn't involve a fight.

He counts down from five in his head before cracking an eye and peeking at Borra. He's got his head down now, turning that frightening stare on the page in his lap with such intensity that Udo's half waiting for vines to begin sprouting from it by accident.

"Are you getting my good side?" Udo calls out pleasantly. Borra looks up and his hand stills, caught in the act. 

"What do you mean?" He never was a great liar.

"Are my feathers straight? What about my hair?" Udo continues with a wicked, teasing grin. Borra was slowly moving to hide his journal away, opening his mouth to deflect again. "Oh, give it up, I've known since you started. At least have the good grace to show me how I've been butchered." Udo interrupted, rising up and giving Borra a look he usually reserved for the unruliest of his flock of children. He had once looked to the other man as a leader, and that respect held firm to this day, but it didn't stop him from being the occasional pain in the neck. 

Borra sourly stares into his lap, not moving when Udo approached and leans in to appraise his handiwork. It wasn't _bad_ — thank goodness — , but that doesn't make it any less strange. Udo skims the writing on the rest of the page. 

"What's all this about? Has peace bored you into becoming a historian?" There have always been those among them who've made it their life's purpose to record the history of the dark fey, work which became especially precious when their numbers had dwindled in the hive that they'd been driven to, but Udo had never thought Borra to be the type. 

"No, I—" Borra pauses, mulling over his words. "This is for something else."

Udo takes a seat by his friend, folding his hands in his lap and looking attentive. "How very vague of you. Am I allowed to know or am I only good enough for pictures?"

Borra shoots him a pointed look and the corners of his lips curl downward into a scowl. Udo meets his glare with a patient, unrattled look. The stare-off lasts until Borra clears his throat.

"Ulstead has taken an interest in researching the Moors and..._us._ I'm helping."

So that's where Borra had disappeared to. Udo cocked his head to one side. "What's the aim of this research?"

"Understanding. Peace." Borra replies absently, taking a sudden interest in the shading of his piece. His face looks like that scowl is frozen into it, and Udo can't stop his eyebrows from arching upward in surprise. 

"You're collaborating with human researchers for peace?" He almost laughs because, well, it's _almost_ laughable. "Is somebody holding you to this?"

Borra's jaw tenses the way it does when he's mulling over something unpleasant. "In a sense."

Udo can tell that there's something else to this, but trying to pull information out of Borra if it isn't readily offered is like trying to grab smoke out of the air. _If he wants to be tight-lipped, then let him._ "Alright. You tell me the next time you plan on drawing me, alright?" He stands again, and he can see the tension leave Borra's shoulders now that he'a no longer at risk of being pestered. Udo keeps his burgeoning curiosity somewhere secret, for now, biting back a lopsided smile.

"Should I spread the word that you'll be busy for the foreseeable future, then? Maybe I could send some of the children along with you, I'm sure they'd love that."

"_Don't._"


End file.
